Jodi Sanderholm: Texas Equusearch “Appreciation Day” in Ark City, Kansas

Scared Monkeys “Missing Persons” would like to thank Texas EquuSearch and Tim Miller for inviting us to attend the Jodi Sanderholm fund raiser last Tuesday night. The event hosted by the community of Arkansas City, KS was truly an amazing, moving and inspiring evening. Scared Monkeys, Missing and Exploited had posted on the Jodi Sanderholm disappearance from the outset. Like so many missing persons, Jodi could have been any one of our daughters, granddaughters, sisters, nieces or cousins. Jodi Sanderholm will never be forgotten.

Please watch the following tribute to Jodi, her family and TES … Its the first of many video reports we will be doing. A moving tribute to an emotional night.

TRIBUTE TO JODI SANDERHOLM – TES APPRECIATION DAY

Special thanks to the Ark City, Kansas Community … The video contains footage from the search, fund raiser and interviews with family & Tim Miller

Meeting Jodi Sanderholm’s family, friends and community was a humbling experience to say the least. The Ark City community showed what small town Americana is all about. The spaghetti dinner fund raiser at the Ark City High School was a tremendous out pouring of caring, compassion and support for Jodi’s family and those that helped to find Jodi Sanderholm. Three local clubs sponsored the event. As thousands rolled into the school, the lines of people of all ages kept going around corners, down hall ways and throughout the school.

We are honored to take part in such a heart-warming event that is designed specifically to raise monies for TES. Thank you, Kim Hager, thank you to the entire Ark City Police, Ark City High School, the FFA, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Kay Club Arkansas City Area Chamber of Commerce, the Ark City Dance Studio, and thank you to all of Jodi’s family and friends. God Bless You All! (TES)

The organizers of the event hoped to bring in about $5000. They did that easily and from some accounts it appears that some $8000 was raised. As a TES volunteer member I would just like to say thank you … Ark City you did a tremendous job. Texas EquuSearch relies on donations to continue their work in helping families recover missing persons. Tim Miller was humbled by the communities show of support.

Epler said today more than $8,000 had been collected from Tuesday night’s fundraiser, after a later tally. All money raised will be presented to EquuSearch, the Texas-based volunteer group.

The amount raised exceeded the $5,000 goal set by the event organizers, Epler said. The dinner was sponsored by Ark City’s FFA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Kay Club. (Ark City.net)

TES had come to Ark City, Kansas to help a family in need and within minutes of searching the lake located Jodi’s car in the water. The cooperation of all law enforcemnet toawrd the common goal of finding Jodi is to be commended. Its about finding missing persons, not about us or jurisdictional issues. Thank you Ark City and KS law enforcent.

Tim Miller and I have talked on several occasions about the caring and community that takes place during searches. The sad reality of missing person cases is that no matter how big or small the community, Missing Persons can occur anywhere. The good people of Ark City and the family of Jodi Sanderholm did nothing to become part of a growing epidemic in our society.

Interview with Tim Miller from the Dana Pretzer show regarding Jodi Sanderholm from The Scared Monkeys radio network.

Brian and Cindy Sanderholm are just two of the latest parents to join a special fraternity that no one wishes to be a member of. Our hearts and prayers go out to them and the rest of Jodi’s family. As Tim Miller stated that evening, “we all feel that we are apart of theirs and the Ark City family.”

(Alana Rocha talking with Tim Miller)

Also, the local media of Ark City did a tremendous job during the sense ordeal as the unthinkable was thrust upon small town America. I had the opportunity to meet news members of both KAKE-TV and KBSD, Eye Witness News 12. Alana Rocha and I discusses the role of the media and the delicate nature of reporting such difficult events. They did a tremendous and respectful job reporting the news, informing the community and respecting the family.

Jodi Sanderholm … God Bless and Rest in Peace

Cross-posted at Missing & Exploited